pieper



(NwModel.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

0. H. & A. F. PIEPER.

RHBOSTAT.

No. 586,864. `Patented July 20,1897.

\\ frl a3 4 a Witnesses. InveutOrS mttorney l 2 Sheets-Sheet', 2.

(No Model.)

0.11.58 A.P.P1EPBR.

RHBOSTAT.

Patented July 20, 1897.

Witnesses.

` Inventors l f v 59m u M.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.l

OSCAR Il. PIEPER AND ALPHONSE F.

RHEO

STAT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 586,834, dated July 20, 189'?.

Application filed March 23, 1897.

-To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, OSCAR H. PIEPER and ALPHONSE F. PIEPER, of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New Y rk,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rheostats; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to the referencenumerals marked thereon.

Our present invention has for its object to provide an improved rheostat particularly adapted for use in connection with a cataphoric apparatus used in den tal operations to convey a local anesthetic to the gum or nerve centers liable to be affected bythe operation. In using an apparatus of this nature it is desirable not only that means be provided for the accurate regulation of the electric current, but that the operator be advised of the amountof current applied in order that the best results may be obtained.

With the objectin View of providing a rheostat which will fulfil the conditions required in a cataphoric appliance and one that can, if desired, be used for other purposes our invention consists in certain improvements hereinafter described, the novel features being pointed out particularly in the claims at the end of this specification.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of our improved rheostat; Fig. 2, a bottom plan view of the saine with the bottoni plate removed; Fig. 3, a sectional view on the line c: a: of Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a perspective view showing the manner of constructing the resistance-coils and contacts; Fig. 5, a sectional view of a portion of the resistance-coils and supports; Fig. 6, a similar view of a inodication; Fig. 7, a diagrammatic view of the circuits.

Similar reference-numerals in the several figures indicate similar parts.

In carrying out our invention we provide a suitable case, preferably circular and einbodying the back plate 1 and ythe front plate or cover 2, of insulating material, as hard rubber, and casing 3, connecting the two parts. Secured to the rear side of' the front plate 2 is a frame or spider f1, having arms 5, to which the resistance-coils' and contact-plates are se-'f" Serial No. 628,910. (No model.)

cured by means of brackets 6, projecting over the edge ofthe coils and supports and adjustably secured to the arms 5 by screws 7,.suit able insulating material S being applied between the brackets and frame, as shown particularly in Fig. 3. A

Extending through the center of the casin g and journaled in a central bearing formed in the spider 4 is a sleeve 10, having a worinwheel ll formed upon or secured thereto and a friction-disk 12 at its-inner end, said wormwheel cooperating with' a worm 13 on a shaft 1i, mounted in suitable bearings in the spider and extending out through the casing, its

outer end being provided ,with an operatingy handle or knob l5. Inside of the sleeve isa tubular arbor or sleeve 16, having secured toits outer portion an operating knob orhandle 17 and inside of this an index or pointer 18, cooperating with a scale 2O on a suitable dial, preferably under a glass 21. The inner end of the arbor 16 is connected by a screw 22 with an arm 23, carrying at its outer or free end a contactspring 24, adapted to wipe over the contactplates of the coils supported upon the arms 5 of the spider.

2f) indicates a stop for arresting the arm 23 when it has reached the end of the resistancecoil and the pointer is at zero.

Extending through the arbor 16 is a rod 25, having a threaded outer end, upon which is a nut 26, and provided at itsinner end with a head 27, adapted to cooperate with a friction-plate 2S, mounted upon the sleeve 16 and permitted a movement thereon longitudinally of said sleeve, but caused to rotate with it by means of the screw.22, which passes through the slot therein, as shown in Fig. 3.

rlhe construction of the parts j ust desciibed is such that when thenut 2U is loosened the sleeve 16 may be manipuiated bythe knob 17 tightened, the disks 2.8 and 12 will be drawn` into contact, and asl the latter carries thei'ated I manipulation o). the operatin g-knob 15 on the worm-shaft, so that the resistance in the circuit can only 'be gradually varied, which is very desirable when the device is used for cataphoric purposes. f

It will be seen that the operator may by connecting the disks l2 and 28 Vary the re.- sistance in the circuit gradually, the exact amount of current passing being indicated upon the dial wand, if desired, may return the index' and switch arm gradually to Iirst position, or he may unscrew the nut 2G and by the manipulation of the knob 17 return the instrument to normal position rapidly.

' lt is evident that as far as the operation of the parts just described is concerned the particular construction of the resistance-coils and contactsis immaterial, but it is eminently desirable that it be of such construction that it is readily applicable to the general form of instrument described and capable of being made at a reasonable price. These results we nd are best accomplished by building up on a suitable ring coils of relatively line insulated wire, between which coils are placed the contacts with which the movable arm of the rheostat cooperates, and the construction employed is shown particularly in Figs. 4, 5, and 6, the base or core being composed of a rod 30, preferably of metal-such, for instance, as copper-upon opposite sides of which are placed strips 3l of insulating material, as vulcanized ber, slightly greater in width than the rod 30, and upon the core thus formed are placed, alternately, metal plates l2 and insulating and separating washers, preferably of vulcanized ber, until a strip of a length equal to the circumference of the circle described. by the contact-spring 24 has been formed, and then the end plates 33 are secured to the ends of the strip 3l by means of pins Si, as shown in Fig. 5 or otherwise.

The resistance-coils 335 are composed of line insulated wire wound upon the washers 33 between the plates 32 and are all formed from a eont-inuouspiece, the requisite number of 'turns to form the desired resistance or unit being arranged between the two adjacent pla-tes 'lhen the wire is passed over-the rear side ot said plate and into the space between the next two plates, this being continued until all the spaces between the contactplates are lilled with the desired number of turns. To connect the separate coils with the contact-plates, itis only necessary to remove the insulation from that portion of the wire passing over the outer sides of the plates 32 with a tile or sandpaper and solder the bare wire to theplates, as shown particularly in Fig. 5. The coil-strip is thenl bent into circular form and the plates 33 connected by screws 3o. The circle is then trued up and, if desired, the inner faces of the plates are ground `to make a smooth contact-surface over which the spring' contact-arm 2l moves.

lf desired, the spaces between the contactplates 32 and the outside of the coil may be filled with insulating material 37, or the ring as a whole may be embedded in'insulating material with only the edges of the plates projecting, thereby forming a continuous surface, or in some instances it may be desirable to place insulating-plates 40, of mica or other material, on opposite sides of the plates 32, as shown in Fig. 6, which would prevent the formation of a spark between the plates if currents of high voltage were employed.

One of the line-terminals from the generator is connected to binding-post 50, which is connected by wire 5l with binding-post 52, i rom which latter' a wire or other suitable conductor leads to the cataphorie instrument or other translating device. From the bindingpost a conductor 53 leads to one end ofthe resistance-coil, and the other end of the coil is connected by a wire 5l with a switch-contact 55, with which cooperates a movable switch 5G, connected by a wire 57 with the post 58, to which the other terminal of the generator-circuitisconnected. Thebinding post 59, forming the other terminal of the circuit containing the translating device, is connected by a wire GO with the spider or frame' 4, and the latter is connected, through the arm 23 and contact-spring 2i, with one or the other of the contact-plates of the rheostat.

From the circuit arrangement shown in Fig. 7 it will be seen that as the arm 23 is moved around either by the operating-knob l5 or the knob 17 in the direction of the arrow,

. Fig. 2, the resistance is gradually diminished and there is a gradualinerease in the current passing to the patient or the translating device, the index and scale indicating the current in volts rather than the number of ohms interposed as rfesistance.

It will be understood that this apparatus can be used for any purpose for which a rheostat is desired, and the manner of constructing the resistance-coils can be employed iu connection with other forms of apparatus, whether the contacts of said coils be arranged in circular form or otherwise, but the construction is partieulavly adapted to such an arrangement as herein shown, because the coils and their support can be readily formed while said support is straight, if desired, and then it may be bent into circular or other form and the space between the contact-plates illed with insulating material, as may be desired.

We claim as our inventionl, In a rheostat, the combination with a support or core anda series of conducting contact--platcs insulated from the support and having apertures through which the support passes, of a continuous insulated wire Wound upon the support between the plates of the series and electrically connected tothe plates at'thelpoints of crossing from one space to the next, and a contact-arm cooperating with the exposed edges of the plates, substantially as described. A

2. In a rheostat, the combination with support or core, a series of conducting con- IOO IXO

tact-plates insulated from the support and having apertures through which the support passes, and a series of insulated spacingwashers on the support and between the con` tact-plates, of a continuous insulated wire wound upon the washers between the plates, and electrically connected to the plates at the points of crossing the plates, and a contactarm cooperating with the exposed edges orf the plates, substantially as described.

. 3. In a rheostat, the combination with the divided ringsupport or core, a series of contact-plates having apertures through which the ring passes, of a continuous insulated wire wound upon the support between the plates, and electricallyconnected tothe plates at the points of crossing, and a rotary contact-arm adapted to contact successively with the exposed edges of the contact-plates, substantially as described.

4. In a rheostat,'the combination with the Aliexihle support or core, a series of contactplates having apertures through which the support passes, and a series of washers of insulating material on the support between the plates, of a' continuous insulated wire wound upon the support between the contact-plates and electrically connected to the `latter at the points of crossing from one space to the next, said wire being connected to one circuit-terminal and the movable contact-arm connected to the other circuit-terminal and adapted to be moved over and contact with the edgesiof the plates, substantially as described. f

5. In a rheost-a-t, the combination with the rod 30, the insulating-strips 3l, the contactplates 32 and insulating\vashers 39, of the continuous insulatedwire 35 wound upon thewashers and electrically connected with the plates 32 as it passes over them, the

plates 33 at the ends of the support, and. 'means for connecting them, and a movable contact-arm adapted tocoperate wit-h the edges of the plates 32, substantially as described.

U. In a rheostat, the combination with a variable resistance and a movable contactlknob or handie-cenrrected directliY with said ,glu 4 l l it l .1 l it 'l i. i.

,warm coperating therewith, of an operating* yso@ contact-arm for actuating it, a'second operl, ating knob or handle and a slow-gear mech anism connected thereto, and a-detachlge clutch device between the slow-gear /znefch'l-` anism and the contact-arm', whereby the con-t tact-arm may be actuated directly at higj,X speed or indirectly at a slower speed, sub-f stantially as described.

7. In a rheostat, the combination with a variable resistance, and a movable contact- 6e arm cope'rating therewith, of an operating knob or handle connected directly with said arm, a worm-wheel, a detachable clutch device between said worm-wheel and the con- 6S tact-arm, and a worm cooperating with the worm-wheel and an operating knob'or handle connected thereto, substantiallyas described.

S. vIn a rheostat,'the combination with a fivariable resistance, and the movable contactarm, of the arborto which the contagt-arm is connected, and the operating-knob and index thereon, the scale with which the index coperates, the worm-wheel loose on the arbor, the worm-shaft cooperating therewith' having the operating knob or handle, and a clutch between the arbor and worm-wheel, substantially as described.

9. In a rheostat, the combination with the variable resistance and the movable contactarm, of the arbor 16 to which the arm is connected havingthe knob`17, the worm-wheel 10 and the friction-disk 12, the worm-shaft i 1i having the worm 13 and knob 15, the friction-disk 2S moving with the contact-arm, and the rod 25 having the-head 27 and nut 26 for clamping the worm-wheel and arni toget-her, substantially asfdescribed'.

p 10. In a'rhcostat, the combination with the frame having the arms 5, the .variable resistalice embodying the coils and contact-plates mounted on the said arms, theiarborl, the index thereon, the contact-ari M23 on=the 'arbor, the worm-wheel connect yto the arbor,

the worm and the worm-shaftJ aving`the.op-

oso-Ann. rt Hmm.,

erating-knob, substantially as *described rinrnn G. A. Rous; g o il 1 im, 

